Review by Booklist Review
This fowl follow-up to the Emberleys' Chicken Little (2009) features minimal text and maximum brightness in its startling paper-cut collages. The firehouse-red hen finds a cake recipe (featured at the end of the book), but she can't, of course, find anyone to help her make it. The animals may not be helpful, but they are lively, jumping all over the page. The three-tiered cake the red hen ends up decorating is a sight to behold, but she doesn't behold it for long before setting her beak to work. The book is ideal for children who enjoy the concept of just desserts. --Nolan, Abby Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
As they did in Chicken Little (2009), the Emberleys present a stylish take on a well-known fable. Shapes and colors collide playfully in hyperbolic collages-the animals' crazed, mismatched eyes alone should elicit giggles. Finding a recipe for "simply splendid cake," the hen thinks, "This would be a treat for all of us." The story unravels simply and traditionally, with the baker seeking help from the lazy lookers-on-a cat, rat, and frog. Still, the Emberleys inject humor of their own into the retelling: while the cat and rat answer with the expected "Not I," the spotted amphibian offers a "Bribbit" each time. The visual piece de resistance is the finished confection, festively decorated (by guess who) with flowers, stars, and garlands of frosting. Along the way, the Emberleys hint at the hen's growing irritation ("She pretty much knew what was coming..."), which culminates in her eating the cake with help from her perky black chicks. A cake recipe caps off this capricious rendition-wise readers will remember the story well if mom and dad ask for help baking. Ages 3-7. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-When Red Hen finds a recipe for "simply splendid cake," she repeatedly asks the cat, the rat, and the frog for help gathering the ingredients; mixing the batter; and baking, icing, and decorating it. The cat and the rat provide the familiar "not I" response, but the frog croaks out a humorous "bribbit." Fortunately, as the bright, bold illustrations reveal, four little black birds are more than happy to help Red Hen make and eat the cake. Set against white backgrounds, the zany characters, each with uniquely distinct eyes, pop off the pages. The recipe for the cake is appended. The short, simple text allows for instant audience participation and offers a satisfying lesson on cooperation and fairness. A perfect read-aloud for storytime, this is another fresh, fun twist on a well-loved folktale.-Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
When a purple cat, gray rat, and green frog repeatedly refuse to help her make a cake, Red Hen does it herself. Humor and repetition in the text ("'Not I,' said the cat. 'Not I,' said the rat. 'Bribbit,' said the frog") is mirrored in the graphically playful placement of small speckled chicks, mixing bowls, and multiple tiers of the ambitious confection. Copyright 2010 of The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Fascinating historical details open a new picture book about Arlington National Cemetery. Demarest, the son of an Arlington-interred veteran, lovingly covers his subject, from its early beginnings as George Washington Parke Custis'sand then Robert E. Lee's homes to its inauguration as a cemetery during the Civil War to the rituals and pageantry that are as much a part of Arlington as its history. Deeply pigmented watercolors tell the story, showing Arlington in every season, from all perspectives. Some of the human faces miss the mark, but the iconic image of the lone soldier saluting the flagged graves is spot-on.It is not the author's fault that current events, particularly the scandal surrounding mishandling of remains, have become front-page news, but it does make part of this homage seem dated. Young historians and D.C. travelers will embrace this detailed, loving tribute to a very sacred place. Three pages of backmatter include a detailed timeline, information on Freedman's Village, a personal author's note, further reading and websites (including, strangely enough, the author's personal photography and school-visit site). (Informational picture book. 6-10)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
